The Hunt for Ursa
by MooseyAvatard
Summary: Zuko has decided to find his mom, Ursa. A story about the challenges he faces along the way, and whether or not she's still alive. The story is better than the description I promise!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

Family Reunion

Fire Lord Zuko approached the maximum security Fire Nation prison with hesitation. His heart pounded in his chest, and drops of sweat trickled down his forehead.

This was the first time since the war ended that Zuko had seen his father, Ozai, or his sister, Azula; it had been more than 6 months.

As he approached the tall building, he felt even more nervous. The tall, cold, gray building was very intimidating.

He drew even closer to the building and thought angrily at himself, _Man up Zuko. You're here to interrogate, _not_ talk about your feelings. Neither of those two _traitors_ can hurt you. Ozai can't bend anymore and- well Azula might, but it's nothing you can't handle. It's not like she has had any time to practice._

He took a deep breath as he came to close to the guards. Neither of the guards recognized him, but that was due to the cloak Zuko was disguising himself with.

"What are you doing here?" One of the guards barked. His voice was deep and raspy.

"I guess you don't know who I am." Zuko responded, still hidden by the cloak. He wasn't surprised nobody had recognized him yet.

"No, but I suggest you leave soon, or you'll have the Fire Lord to deal with." The second guard said. His voice was much more smooth and tenor.

"That's funny." Zuko paused, removing the hood from his head. "…Because I _am_ Fire Lord!"

Both of the guards were dumbfounded. They scrambled for apologetic words and gestures, but they were both too frozen from shock to even breathe. They stood before the Fire Lord, mouths agape, too stricken with fear to say anything.

Finally, after about 45 seconds, the guard with the tenor voice spoke.

"S-sorry, you're m-majesty… w-we didn't know it was y-you! O-our deepest apologies, sir."

"I guess you're confusing me with my father." Zuko chortled. "I'm not going to banish you, or do unspeakable things to you. Just let me in before I change my mind." Zuko actually _smiled_ for once.

His new position as Fire Lord made him feel like he had the chance to make the world right- and all it needed was a little more happiness.

"I didn't expect you to _know_ who I was! I was wearing a cloak after all" He smiled and laughed as the guards pulled the heavy doors open.

"No one is to know about this little endeavor. _Nobody_ is to be let in after me. Not even Mai." Zuko demanded as he walked through the entrance.

As he entered the building, air whooshed in his face, and subsequently caused his robe to ripple in the breeze. The deep red fabric trimmed with gold was fluid like water.

There was only one hallway in the building. It spiraled up gradually. Zuko started up the cold hallway. The air had a heavy- almost _dead_ feel about it. Every few yards were guards stationed, to prevent any escapees. In between the guards were lamps to illuminate the hallway. They gave off an orange glow, and little warmth.

Zuko could hear his footsteps echoing throughout the hallway. The cold metal made a harsh clinking noise as his boots walked along the dark hallway. It echoed in a lonely manner.

Zuko passed by several guards who all looked identical. All of them were tall, muscular, and rigid against the wall.

As he walked up the sloped hallway, he passed by some of the darkest names in recent Fire Nation history. They had committed crimes that even Ozai deemed terrible.

Zuko was almost near the top when he reached Ozai's cell. He opened the large, heavy, metal door and shut it behind him with a loud thud.

The full moon shone through a small window into his damp little cell. It was almost identical to the one that Iroh had wrongfully been kept in during the war.

"What could _you _possible want with _me_?" Ozai sneered.

"Oh, didn't they tell you? I came for your company and stories!" Zuko laughed sarcastically and abruptly stopped and spat "No." at his father.

"Then _why_ are you here?" Ozai questioned.

"You are going to tell me where my mother is." Zuko demanded.

"Why on _earth_ would you want to know that? She's probably _dead_ by now. Banishing people doesn't really have a fantastic survival rate does it? When the people of the Earth Kingdom found out where she was, they probably crushed her. They tend to have a dim look upon Fire Nation. You would know _all about _that! A refugee, forced to hide his true identity to avoid death. You could've returned home sooner, but you were a _failure_ and couldn't finish one simple task. Capturing the Avatar shouldn't have been so hard! You found him, and you decided to _join_ him! Despicable and disgraceful. Ultimate dishonor!" Ozai spat at Zuko's feet.

"I'm not here to play games." Zuko retorted forcefully. He tried not to let his father's harsh words eat at him, but it was almost impossible.

"Neither am I. _You_ put me here. A son put his _own_ father into jail for life! Terrible." Ozai was trying to screw with Zuko's mind.

"You did it to yourself." Zuko said without remorse. "You didn't _have_ to kill all those people."

"You're just weak." Ozai said. His tone was bitter.

"Stop it." Zuko's voice trembled.

"You're weak, just like my brother. I can scarcely call him my brother after what he did to the Fire Nation. He lost us Ba Sing Se because his son died in battle! Weak, spineless fool. I don't have to call him my brother, but I have to call you my son. I don't have to love you. Why do you think I banished you?" Ozai was really trying to throw Zuko off his game. He cackled maniacally.

" I said STOP IT!" Zuko screamed and punched flames out of his fist. Mere inches above Ozai's head, the stone wall was blackened.

Ozai seemed unaffected by the fire that could've caused him a scar like the one he had so _affectionately_ given Zuko.

Zuko regained his composure.

"Now you are going to tell me where my mother is, or I will make your life a thousand times worse than it already is." He spoke through his teeth.

"Even if I _was_ going to tell you, I wouldn't know." Ozai said nonchalantly. "After I banished her, it was my responsibility to get her to the Earth Kingdom, and that's it. After setting foot on Earth Kingdom soil, she was no longer my problem. She was a traitor, and did unforgivable acts to the Fire Nation royal family. She _poisoned_ my father the night before I was supposed to kill you." Ozai was now leaning against the wall. His clothes were all tattered and baggy. They were a muddy brown, and hadn't been washed recently.

"I've had enough of you." Zuko's expression was wild; he snarled and his eyes were wild. At this, he spat at Ozai's feet and spun around. His robes flowing behind him like water.

Zuko effortlessly opened the ridiculously heavy door, and slammed it behind him.

He had intended to talk to Azula that night but decided to return the next night.

The Fire Lord walked heavily and angrily down the long, dimly lit hallway. His shoes clanked on the metal floor.

He reached the exit and the guards opened the doors. He pulled his cloak over his dark shaggy hair and set off for the royal palace.

The air was cool and damp. A gentle breeze sent air up through Zuko's cloak.

Zuko stalked down the dirt path with his head hanging. The malicious words Ozai had said to him sting in his mind like the scar on his face.

The path upon which Zuko walked made a slight crunching noise and he walked. He contemplated where to start his search. From what his father had said, even if it wasn't true, he should start in the Earth Kingdom.

_I'll write a letter to Iroh, and ask him if I can stay there for a few days. _Zuko thought to himself.

He continued to trudge down the dark path; the palace was growing nearer every second.

Finally he reached the gates of the palace. The quiet night was disturbed by the palace guard's voice.

"Welcome back sir." The guard spoke.

"Thank you." Zuko responded. His voice was heavy. "Can you open the gate? I need to go to bed." Zuko sounded irritated, and the guard complied immediately.

Zuko walked up to the palace door. It was huge and red with gold around the outside. Two guards struggled to pull it open, and as soon as they finished, Zuko strode inside.

"Where have you been?" Mai "greeted" him. She didn't even give him time to respond.

"Why are you out so late?" Mai sounded worried- an emotion she rarely displayed, much less in the presence of guards.

_I've barely got through the door and she's already nagging me._ Zuko sighed internally.

"I was visiting my father in the prison." Zuko responded.

"_Why?_" Mai sounded angry and curious at the same time.

"What are you planning to do? Why did you go see him? What's going _on_ Zuko?" Mai sounded panicked.

"Calm down. I'll tell you everything in the morning." Zuko yawned.

Mai placed a slim pale hand on Zuko's chest.

"No. Tell me _right now_." She demanded.

"Listen. I'm tired and I really want to get to bed. I'll tell you about it in the morning." Zuko gently took her hand off his chest and proceeded to his bedroom.

"I want to know. Right now. You. Will. Tell. Me." Mai was furious.

"How crass of you. Just leave me alone. I can't believe you would be so selfish as to deny me rest, just so you can know something right now. It can wait until morning." Zuko stormed on towards his room.

Mai clenched her fists. She didn't care that she was being a brat she had to know what was going on.

"You come back here right now!" Mai screamed. Her voice echoed in the great hallway. Zuko didn't reply.

If Mai had been a fire bender, she would have consumed the palace in a conflagration of rage. Mai stood there in the hallway, tense and full of rage.

_She thinks that just because she's Fire Lady, she can do whatever she bloody well wants. Well she's forgetting one minor detail. _I'm_ Fire Lord! I'm one step above her! She's gone from being a ball of blah, to being a bratty ball of blah. She's almost as bad as Azula._ He sneered at the name of his sister.

Zuko tried to calm himself as he strode down the hall. His cloak made it appear as if he were floating like a ghost. The servants might have believed it if it weren't for his heavy, contemplative footsteps that echoed throughout the halls of the palace.

The Fire Lord's bedroom was at the back of the palace, which meant he had a lot of walking to do. He glided past the war room, which made him uncomfortable every time he went in there.

It was a cold and cruel room where inhumane and unspeakable acts of selfish war games were made. Nobody else had ever connected the little figurines with actual souls. Souls with families and friends.

He also walked past the paintings of past Fire Lords. Ozai, Azulon, and Sozin were the three most recent. Soon he would be hanging on the wall with them.

However much he looked like his father and grandfathers, he knew he wasn't like them at all. Zuko wasn't concerned with overtaking the rest of the world in a fiery blaze. He was more concerned with restoring the damage caused by his malevolent forefathers.

The palace felt cold and lifeless. Even though it was late at night, Zuko felt as if the air were thick with strictness and fear.

He finally reached his bedroom. The handle was a dragon made of gold. It was a fierce looking dragon with eyes made of rubies. Its mouth was open, and out of its mouth there was a ring used to open and shut the door. The sharp teeth fascinated him as a child, but nowadays he tried not to think about his childhood.

The door unlatched itself and the sound resonated throughout the hallway. Zuko entered the large bedroom where the window was open and the moonlight shown in. A breeze blew the curtains, and the scene was rather cliché.

The huge four-poster bed stood in the middle of the room. It was a dark cherry wood, carved with dragons on each of the four posts. The sheets and blankets were a deep red, with gold trim. As was everything else in the Fire Nation.

Zuko disrobed and crawled into bed, without Mai. Mai and Zuko rarely slept separately. It was only on occasions such as these, that Mai slept in her own room.

Mai's room was equally extravagant as their shared room.

Zuko yawned and stretched underneath the warm covers. He fell into a troubled sleep, where his dreams were polluted with bad memories of his childhood, his father taunting him, and his upcoming fear of never finding his mother. He woke up the next morning hell bent on finding Ursa. Zuko was sure she was still alive, he could feel it.

**author's notes:

The start of my new story! I very much like the concept of this story, and hope you do too! It's much more of a serious story than my other one, but I hope you like it as much, or more! XD Reviews are always appreciated.


	2. Start of a Mission

Chapter 2:

Start of a mission

Zuko woke up 3 hours after falling asleep. He sat up in bed, looking out through the huge window at the stars.

_If I'm going to do this, I have to go now. Otherwise there will be far too many questions asked and not enough time to explain. _Zuko rationalized his rash behavior.

There were at least some servants awake at all hours of the day and night in the palace. Zuko rang the little bell beside his bed, alerting a servant that he needed attending to.

Within 10 seconds, a sleepy eyed servant appeared at the foot of Zuko's bed.

"Yes sir?" A small voice asked.

"I need you to pack clothes, money, and other supplies for me as quickly as possible. Don't ask questions. Just do it as quickly as you can. Also, send for a ship to be prepared in one hour. Make sure you pack plenty of money. This is going to be a long journey." Zuko got out of bed. He put a robe on around himself and tied it loosely.

"Where are you going sir?" The servant asked.

"To write a letter to Mai explaining what's going on. She's going to be furious, but oh well."

Zuko walked quietly down the hall. He tried to make as little noise as humanly possible.

He reached his study a few minutes and sat down at the large hardwood desk that appeared small in the massive room.

He lit the two candles on the desk and began writing on a piece of parchment that was already on the desk.

Dipping his pen in the ink, he wrote:

Dear Mai,

I'm sorry you had to find out like this, but I'm leaving. ~ ignore that

I regret to inform you that I have decided to look for my mother alone. I am truly sorry that you can't come, but I feel as if you should stay behind and be in charge of the Fire Nation when I' am away. I suspect this journey will take a while, and take me across most of the Earth. I will try to send letters and updates to you. Please try not to be angry with me, but I understand if you are. I love you more than anything and I don't know what I would do if you got hurt in the process of finding my mother. Please try to understand,

Love,

Zuko

Just as he signed his name, the servant appeared in the entry to the cavernous room.

"Your bags are ready sir." He bowed slightly.

"Thank you." Zuko said warmly. "Can you send for a ship to be prepared for me? I need it ready in less than an hour."

"Of course sir." He bowed again as he walked away to send for the ship.

Zuko stood up and rolled the parchment up, tying it securely closed with a red silk ribbon. He blew the candles out, and the sound of his breath echoed.

He opened the heavy door and shut it as quietly as he could. As with everything else in the palace, it echoed in the spacious rooms and hallways.

Zuko turned down the hallway to go down to Mai's room and paused.

_If I go in, she could wake up. She sleeps with more stilettos when I'm not with her… that could end _really_ badly. She'd be furious… _Zuko contemplated deeply. _It's worth a shot._ He decided.

Zuko passed by many extravagant tapestries, paintings, and decorated columns on his way over to the Fire Lady's room.

It seemed to take forever, but he finally reached her room.

Zuko opened the door; Mai stirred and his heart skipped a beat.

He stealthily walked over to his sleeping girlfriend and put the letter on her bedside table. Zuko kissed her lightly on her forehead before leaving on his mission.

Zuko went back to his room to find his bags packed. One had the bare minimum for when he was traveling alone, and the other two were for when he was still able to live lavishly on the ship.

The servant appeared again, bringing a status update.

"Your ship will be ready in 15 minutes."

"Good. Just enough for me to walk down to the marina."

"Might I suggest the palanquin sir? The servant said tentatively.

"No thank you. I wouldn't want to wake them. All I need is someone to help me carry my bags down." Zuko said.

"I will carry your bags for you sir." The servant said, moving towards the bags.

"All of them?" Zuko sounded perplexed.

"Yes sir."

"Nah, I'll carry one. No need to strain you. You've been very helpful." Zuko smiled.

"Thank you sir." The servant bowed in appreciation.

"We'd best get going, don't want to keep them waiting" Zuko said.

"Right sir."

Zuko and the servant walked out of the bedroom and through the winding halls of the palace. Their footsteps echoed and made the palace feel dead and haunted.

Zuko felt like he had when he was banished. He was taking the last looks of the easy life and the life of luxury. It made him feel ill.

_Are you sure you want to go?_ Zuko questioned himself. _Yes. I need to find my mother. It's more important than anything right now._ Zuko argued with himself. _Am I winning an argument with myself? Maybe it's not the best time to be going out for a several month expedition…_

After a few minutes of walking they reached the front entrance to the palace. Zuko inhaled deeply and took the few steps down on the cold ground. Then realized he was still wearing his robe!

Zuko shot straight up in bed, inhaling loudly.

"What the hell was that?" He said aloud, panting. "Just a dream Zuko, just a dream. Chill out." Zuko assured himself and went back to sleep.

**Author's notes. So I'm sorry I have kept you waiting for a month to read the next chapter! I have far too much school and crazy stuff going on. If you noticed any inconsistencies in this chapter you are totally right, and that's because I can't remember every detail from the show XD. Yay for Avatar Wikia. I found that there were so many inconsistencies and errors compared to the facts given in the show that I better make this a dream then go back and make the next chapter accurate! Please please please review this! It makes me excited to see that I have reviews! XD I hope you guys like this and continue to read it [even if I am super slow to update.]


	3. Fighting

Chapter 3:

Fighting

Zuko sat across from Mai at the huge hardwood table that they used for all their everyday dining. It was a very nice cherry finish adorned with dragons for legs and a gold inlay around the edge of the table.

Zuko played with his food. He didn't know how to break the news to Mai, and after last night's dream he felt guilty.

_You didn't actually do anything wrong Zuko. She can't be mad at you for giving her a note IN A DREAM! _Zuko yelled at himself while he twirled his fork in his breakfast.

"Is something bothering you Zuko?" Mai asked.

"No." Zuko said quietly.

"You're lying." Mai could barely be heard across the long table.

"No I'm not." Zuko looked up at her.

"I've known you for far too long." Mai laughed slightly. "I know when you're lying."

Zuko didn't respond; he merely took a small bite of the eggs that were going cold.

"Are you going to tell me what you failed to tell me last night?" Mai inquired.

"I guess." Zuko said with his mouth full.

"So…?" Mai was getting impatient.

"Well you see, I was going to try and- well- I wanted to, um- it's really important and I…" Zuko started and stopped so much even HE got confused.

"Are you going to finish any of your sentences?" Mai laughed.

"I'm going on a mission to find my mother." Zuko blurted out all at once.

"WHAT?" Mai was furious.

_Apparently she can._ Zuko said to himself.

"I- sorry Mai." Zuko wasn't really sorry; Mai had been rather irritable lately.

"Are you at least taking me with you?" Mai barked.

"No." Zuko replied solemnly.

"Why the hell not?" Mai raged.

"Because she's MY mother and it's MY job to find her!" Zuko yelled back.

"Fine! You know what? I didn't even WANT to go anyway!" Mai slammed her fork down on the table.

"Well good, because I don't think you can be away from the palace, servants, palanquin bearers, lavish meals, and everything royal for more than about 2 minutes, no doubt you couldn't last 3 months." Zuko scoffed.

"You're going to be gone for 3 MONTHS?" Mai screamed.

"Yes, and I'm going to enjoy _every last minute_ without you." Zuko sneered.

"Fine. Fuck you! I wouldn't want to be with you that long anyway!" Mai was still yelling.

"So what… if you can't stand me for more than three months, then why are you Fire Lady? Huh, huh?" Zuko was raging now, too.

"I- I didn't mean it Zuko." Mai said, suddenly crestfallen.

Zuko breathed heavily as he collected himself. He took a sip of the water, attempting to cool himself down.

"Zuko I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." Mai extended her hand apologetically.

"Sure you didn't." Zuko replied. He was still mad and hurt, but now he could think clearly.

"You just didn't want to lose all the privileges of being Fire Lady." Zuko said disdainfully as he got up and left the room.

Mai held her head with one hand; her arm propped up on the table. She sighed, as usual, but it was more depressed and sorrowful than normal.

Zuko was already dressed and he decided to pay Azula a visit. He was fired up from the argument, and figured he could take out some of his rage on interrogating her.

Zuko stormed past various servants angrily. Many of the younger servants ducked down hallways and into rooms out of fear.

Nobody dared to question where he was going or why he was so upset, although anyone with ears could hear the argument that they just had.

He reached the front door, and two guards were standing there, ready to open them.

Zuko needn't stop walking because the guards were quick enough to open the doors for him.

He continued to walk angrily all the way through the gardens and down the gravel path towards the prison.

Zuko was wearing traditional Fire Nation Armor, not unlike what he had worn not long ago during his banishment.

He marched to the Fire Nation prison doors and stopped.

"What are you waiting for?" Zuko barked.

"For what?" The guard asked, confused.

"Open the damn door!" Zuko was still angry. He had gone from being calm and angry at the palace, to infuriated like Mai. While walking over, he had stewed his anger.

"Right away sir. Sorry sir." The guard said, very worried.

Zuko walked loudly up the sloping floor. He reached Azula's cell in about half the time of his previous visit.

He inhaled deeply as he stood in front of her door. Zuko placed his hand on the handle and closed his eyes. The latch clicked open and he walked into Azula's cell.

"Hello Zu-Zu." Azula smiled darkly. "What brings you here?"

So this was a quickly written chapter as you can probably tell. I hope you liked it anyway. What a perfect Valentine's day chapter! LOL. There will be lots of drama to come! Again, please please please please *gets down on knees* I beg of you to comment! Thank you to those that do! (: I got Valentine's day stuff to do so I figured I'd write a super quick chapter and get on with Valentines XD. Happy Singles Awareness/Valentine's day! Do you think I said Valentines enough? Valentines Valentines Valentines!


	4. Dysfunctional family

Chapter 4:

Dysfunctional Family

Azula had a cat like manner about her as she stared menacingly at Zuko.

"What could _possibly_ bring you here?" Azula scoffed as she stood up off of the dirty floor.

"You were always the favorite with Dad." Zuko remarked bitterly.

"Yeah, so? Where are you going with this Zu-Zu?" Azula inquired.

"I'm going to find Mom. I was her favorite." Zuko replied.

Azula seemed quite keen on messing with Zuko's mind. It wasn't very frequent that she got the chance nowadays.

"What, do you feel guilty that mom sacrificed herself so that you wouldn't have to die?" Azula taunted.

"What do you mean, sacrifice herself?" Zuko had fallen for Azula's trap.

"Oh it's nothing." Azula laughed.

"Tell me." Zuko demanded. He wasn't playing any games.

"I think I'll just sit here and think about all of the things that I know and you _don't._" Azula smiled devilishly.

"I'm Fire Lord; you'll tell me what I say you will." Zuko spoke through his teeth.

"What are you going to do?" Azula laughed. "Call mom? Oh wait, she's DEAD!" Azula cackled maniacally.

Zuko didn't even flinch. His face remained hard and determined.

"Tell me everything you know, right. Now." Zuko spoke harshly.

"Why?" Azula said innocently.

"Azula! I'm Fire Lord and you'll tell me RIGHT NOW!" Zuko screamed so loud, the birds in the neighboring trees took off.

"Fine pissy pants. If you really want to know I'll tell you." Azula surrendered.

"So the night mom disappeared- wait she's probably dead now, what's the point of looking for her?"

"No games, just facts." Zuko said sternly.

"So the night Azulon died, mom poisoned him. She didn't want Dad to have to kill you blah blah blah, the pain of losing a first born son blah blah blah. She committed the ultimate act of treason to save you." Azula was emotionless as she spoke. The probable death of her mother didn't affect her in the least.

"I knew most of that, anything else?" Zuko asked.

"No. So Dad sent her on a ship to the Earth Kingdom and dumped her there. As soon as her feet touched the soil, she was no longer part of the Fire Nation. Mom had no money, extra clothes, or anything." Azula stood looking at Zuko with her arms crossed in a most dissatisfied manner.

"I knew you didn't know much more than I did. I'm going back to Dad's cell." Zuko spun around and left his sister.

"You're welcome." Azula scoffed as the door slammed behind Zuko.

Zuko walked heavily up to his father's cell. He didn't hesitate to throw the heavy door open and being demanding information from his father at once.

"You're going to tell me everything you know about what happened to Mom."

Ozai sighed, "I already did."

"I want to know nicknames, favorite places in the Earth Kingdom, everything there is to know about her. I'm determined to hunt her down, and you're going to tell me everything I need to know so I can do so." Zuko said it so forcefully that it was nearly impossible to say no.

"Why should I? You have no authority over me. I'm your father." Ozai managed to refuse.

"Because if you don't," Zuko reached into the cell and grabbed Ozai by the beard. "I'll burn this pretty little beard right off your face." Rage glistened in Zuko's eyes.

"No." Ozai laughed.

Zuko began to singe the end of Ozai's beard.

"Tell me. Now." Zuko tugged and began to create more heat.

"No, and you're grounded." Ozai replied.

Zuko's hand released Ozai's beard and flew up over his head in disbelief.

"You can't ground me! I'm Fire Lord!" Zuko yelled, sounding like a 4 year old.

"I may no longer be Fire Lord, but you're still my son and that means I own your ass."

"Really? I'm almost 20 now."

"It still matters." Ozai replied in a childish manner.

Zuko clapped his hand to his forehead and sighed.

"You're of no further use to me. Good bye." Zuko whirled out of the room. He left without any information and frustrated.

Zuko burst through the door of the Fire Nation palace. Mai was sitting on one of the front hall benches coyly.

"Zuko I…" Mai began.

"Don't talk to me." Zuko stormed past angrily.

He wasn't intentionally rude to Mai, he was just making a bee line for Ursa's former study.

Mai thought to herself, "What's his problem? He's so moody lately." She sighed aloud.

Zuko walked swiftly to his mother's study. To the best of his knowledge, it had remained untouched since her banishment. Zuko was nearing the room and he hadn't realized he had picked up a slight jog.

A few moments later, he reached the tall and extravagant doors to his mother's study. Zuko inhaled deeply, slowing his heart rate from vibrating, down to rapid.

He opened the door and the noise of the latch echoed in the lonely palace. The scent of his mother washed over him, and a warm sensation took over his body.

The room was exactly as she'd left it. A warm smile broke over Zuko's angry face.

Zuko immediately started to look around for anything he could use to help find Ursa.

Ursa's office was serene and orderly. He favorite books were on one shelf that stretched from the floor to the 12 foot ceiling. The other shelf held historical and old schoolbooks from her days at the Royal Fire Nation Academy for Girls.

Her desk had her journal on it, conveniently placed where Zuko would find it. On one corner of the desk, wilted flowers drooped over the side of the vase. They had been there since Ursa was banished.

Zuko quickly noticed the journal on the desk and picked it up. He flipped through it until he found the most recent entry. Zuko shuffled over to the deep red couch and plopped down. He read the entry quietly aloud:

Zuko,

If you are reading this then you must be searching for me. Let me begin by telling you why I've been banished, and I want you to know it was all to protect you. It's worth everything and anything I may face in the Earth Kingdom- even death.

Think back to the day Grandfather Azulon passed away. Azula and you demonstrated your new fire bending techniques, and Iroh had unfortunately recently lost his son, Lu Ten to battle. After you and Azula left, Ozai suggested to your grandfather that Iroh be stripped of his birthright to the throne. Azulon became infuriated and told Ozai that he should know the pain of losing a first born son. He demanded that Ozai kill you.

I couldn't bear to lose you, so that night I slipped out of your father and I's room and went out to the garden. I gathered some poisonous plants and mixed them up to put them into the water that Azulon kept by his bedside table. I carefully put the poisoned water on the bedside table and left with the regular water.

As you know, Azulon drank the poisoned water and passed away in his sleep.

When everyone was awake the next morning, one of the servants told the others what I had done and I was banished to the Earth Kingdom.

Now, I don't know where I'm going, but I have heard talk of Senlin Village.

Zuko, I want you to know that this was all for you and I don't want you to feel guilty. I did this because I love you and want to protect you.

Love,

Mom

Zuko sighed heavily and shut the journal. Dust flew everywhere when the book clapped shut.

"I can't believe she sacrificed everything to save me." Zuko said, bewildered.

"She really loved you." Mai said, leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed across her chest.

"How long have you been standing there?" Zuko asked coolly.

"Not long." Mai replied, walking towards Zuko.

"Why are you here?" Zuko asked sharply.

"I came to apologize." Mai replied.

Zuko's expression turned from that of longing, to one of intrigue. He shifted his position on the couch so Mai could sit beside him.

"You don't have to apologize." Zuko said.

"I do. I was totally rude to you and childish and selfish earlier. I'm sorry." Mai sounded choked up.

"I wasn't much better." Zuko laughed and brushed Mai's hair behind her ear.

Zuko took his girlfriend's hand and looked her in the eyes.

"Before I go, we need to do a couple of things." Zuko said.

"Like what?" Mai sounded curious.

"If…" Zuko inhaled, "If I don't make it back, you need to be officially Fire Lady so you can rule." Zuko sounded nervous.

"Why wouldn't you make it back?" Mai sounded uncharacteristically worried.

"I don't know, but for you to be the official Fire Lady, we have to be married."

"What are you saying Zuko?"

"I'm saying…" Zuko gulped and squeezed Mai's hand. "I'm saying, will you marry me?"

"Yes Zuko, of course I'll marry you." Mai kissed Zuko passionately, but just as soon as they started, Zuko pulled away.

"What?" Mai asked, mildly irritated.

"My mom sat here. It's weird to do this here." Zuko shifted uncomfortably.

"Way to ruin the moment." Mai sighed and stood up.

"Sorry!" Zuko stood up as well, leaving the journal on the couch.

"Lets finish this in our room." Mai smiled devilishly.

"I'm way ahead of you." Zuko took Mai by the hand and ran back towards their room.

All finished! I'm sorry I haven't updated in FOREVER. I have had a super ridiculous insane crazy busy schedule lately. Finding time to breathe has been difficult. I hope you like it, and I'll try my best to update more quickly. Have a great rest of spring break (: Oh, and if you haven't seen it, go watch black swan. NAO


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